Tope & Tide

[mww]

Hi

 

Been doing quite a bit of topeing around Bridlington Bay the last few weeks with a reasonable amount of success. However, we've found that, compared to the toping that we've previously done for a few years down the Holderness coast, the tope up there seem to be very tide-dependent...or more accurately llack of tide-dependent.

 

Best time up Brid way seems to be slack water/ very early flood/ ebb, with hardly a run through the peak of the tide or as it slackens. Down Holderness it seem to be totally the opposite - runs at slack water are quite uncommon, best time seems to be when there's plenty of tide, probably the best time's as it's just starting to ease.

 

Probably worth saying that at Brid, in a similar depth of water, 13-15m, there's more tide on neaps than down Holderness on Springs.

 

I'd be interested to hear of what you guys have found with tope fishing in your "patch" - or your experiences around the ones we fish.

 

Cheers

 

MWW

[glennk]

Cant help ya mate, but happy second post all the same

[Guest muttley]

Hi mate...we fish the thames estuary and neap tides are best..dont know why,they just are.

[Ian Burrett]

Hi MWW

Welcome to AN

 

We find in south west Scotland that different marks will produce at different stages of the tide. Some fish on the flood best others on the Ebb. Most marks with heavy tide will go off during the mid two hours, particuarly on the springs and the fish will feed heavily during the wind down and pick up. Unless the fish are buzzing they will usually go off on the slacks but a livebait will produce more runs.

 

The marks with less tide will produce right through the tide but will go off for longer periods round the slacks.

 

When the tide is racing the fish probably rest up and wait for the tide to ease before resuming feeding.

[Toerag]

Alderneybassman got blitzed by tope at slackwater on the big springs at the start of last month. I think you might do well if you can fish during the main run of tide, but too much tide will certainly force the fish into hiding in eddies and other slackwater areas. I think slack at springs and full tide at neaps maybe the way to go?

How fast do the tides run at Holderness and Bridlington?

[mww]

Guys

 

Thanks very much for the replies, most seem to kind of confirm our early findings with this relatively "new" area.

 

Not really sure what the flow is, maybe a couple of knots maximum - it doesn't really scream through like it does round Filey Brigg area - generally even during the springs a week ago, we were able to downtide comfortably with 50lb whiplash/ 30lb fireline & 8oz - further down Holderness we can normally get away with around half that.

 

One thing that it will be interesting to see whether is the same next season (assuming we don't get another go this season) is the amount of loose weed that's prevalent around the Brid area - it's a real pain during the strong part of the tide - smallish fibrous chunks - I guess the way this stuff gathers around the rig & bait doesn't exactly help!! We don't ever seem to suffer with this stuff down Holderness. We assumed that it was the fall-out from the mountains of the stuff that was on the beach until a couple of weeks ago after some SE'ly winds, but maybe it's just the "norm" for the area?

 

Thanks for your comments again.

 

cheers

 

MWW